In the wake of his wife's unexpected death from a heart ailment in 2018,
AJ Croce
found comfort in the past: he returned to some of his favorite music, songs he'd play at parties and jam sessions with fellow musicians. Hence the name "By Request": these are the songs he'd play to entertain a close crowd.
By Request
retains that boisterous, intimate feel, capturing
Croce
and his touring band playing cherished songs from throughout his life. Many titles will be familiar to audiences, too, yet the cover choices aren't tired. He revives
the Five Stairsteps
' sweet, soulful "Ooh Child," rolls right through
Randy Newman
's "Have You Seen My Baby," lays back on
Allen Toussaint
's "Brickyard Blues," jumps with
Billy Preston
's "Nothing from Nothing," cruises through
the Beach Boys
' "Sail on Sailor," and lingers on the poetry of
Tom Waits
' "San Diego Serenade."
's arrangements stick to the originals but don't treat them as sacred texts: as a pianist and vocalist, he glides through the changes, savoring the lyrical and melodic turns of phrases and taking solos to suit his mood. The result is a spirited, nourishing listen, a low-key testament to the restoring power of music. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine